2. Contact Info

3. Dealer Selection

Before I forget, let’s talk about the Volkswagen Jetta TDI’s 37G2 DSG update. I’ve had a few months to get acquainted with the transmission’s modified behavior and here’s the scoop: it works. Shifts are cleaner than before and any jerking sensations or uncertainty felt between gear changes in the past have been all but abolished (however, the car continues to buck when rolling off the throttle in light load and low throttle scenarios). Entertainingly enough, I experienced two of the most conspicuous clunks and thunks on my very first extended drive with the software flash, but it’s been smooth sailing since. Poking around the Internet, it appears other Volkswagen owners with the update are pleased too.

When I first took “possession” of the Jetta TDI, I mentally collated a list of goals for myself and my German (by way of Mexico) freund. First and foremost, I’ve eyed good fuel economy, reasons being this VW is technically an economy car and I don’t think anyone who actually plunks down their hard-earned dollars for one thinks to themselves, “I am going to drive this car as inefficiently as possible.” Further building on the fuel economy topic, I wanted to do at least one tank of diesel where it manages to blow past the theoretical highway range of 609 miles. I’m relatively satisfied with a recent single trip of 709.5 miles — which included more stop-and-go than I’d deem ideal for a semi-economical run — and I fully believe a 50-plus-mpg effort is well within the realm of possibility assuming I drive carefully enough. It’s important to note I did not make myself a mobile hazard during those last 709.5 miles.

I’ll continue to keep a lookout on the fuel gauge, but another goal I’ve been longing to fulfill is to give the Jetta TDI a shakedown in snow conditions. As you may or may not know, there’s no button/switch to manually disable the standard stability/traction control. There’s concern that if the front drive wheels get stuck in a snowbank or similar obstacle, the loss in traction will logically reduce the amount of power being put to the ground, until there isn’t enough motive force to generate any momentum to get unstuck. Admittedly, I don’t have any first-hand knowledge on how well the stability/traction control is calibrated for snowy conditions. And that’s why I’ll be embarking on a road trip into the wintry Rocky Mountains (at time of writing, my final destination forecasts a high of 30 degrees and low of 21 degrees Fahrenheit over the next six days) to see just how well the VW copes in the cold stuff. I’m not looking to get stuck, which is why I have a set of Toyo Observe GSi5 winter tires (on sale in the United States Fall 2012/Winter 2013) waiting to be mounted. Expect a lengthy report next month.

Finally, the Jetta TDI has provided mostly problem-free running, with one unexplained exception. The other night, I was pulling away from a drive-thru window, moving no faster than a few mph, when the 2.0-liter engine abruptly cut out. Surprised, I stopped the car, put the DSG back into Park, and hit the ignition button. It fired right back up, though it then proceeded to idle higher than usual (around 1000 rpm) whenever I was completely stopped, all the way home. Since this only happened once, and given the circumstances, I chalked it up to the diesel particulate filter’s active regeneration process. But I still highly doubt an engine is supposed to turn off without warning.

Safety (IIHS)

2011 Volkswagen Jetta News and Reviews

You learn a lot about a Volkswagen Jetta TDI while piling on 36,643 miles in 12 months. I crisscrossed six states, typically on lengthy solo drives on which I encountered temperatures from below freezing to above 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Yet, all I really needed to know about our departed long-termer came over a period of seven days and 710 miles.…

This will be the Jetta TDI's last update, which makes this a good time to take inventory of its service costs. It's been to the dealer three times at the recommended 10,000-mile intervals and all parts and labor has been covered by Volkswagen's 3 year/36,000 mile no-cost maintenance plan. Yes, we've blown through the plan's allotted period with ease. This…

This last winter in Southern California was unseasonably dry and warm, and I had a hankering for snow. My reasonable fix: Drive to Jackson, Wyoming, the charming Rocky Mountains winter playground that I'm told never suffers from snow shortages.With great snow come greater driving responsibilities, so we acquired a set of winter tires from our friends at Toyo in preparation…

Before I forget, let's talk about the Volkswagen Jetta TDI's 37G2 DSG update. I've had a few months to get acquainted with the transmission's modified behavior and here's the scoop: it works. Shifts are cleaner than before and any jerking sensations or uncertainty felt between gear changes in the past have been all but abolished (however, the car continues to…

"Thank you for contacting ExxonMobil. The company archives have been closed and the material has since been dispersed. Some of it has been donated to..." So the e-mail reply read. Rats! As if my research hadn't hit enough speed bumps already, the past title sponsor of the event I was planning to retrace couldn't help.The story before you is part…